Apparatus and method for transporting goods

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a unique container and transport methodology for LTL trucking shipping operations. The shipping container includes a selectively repositionable, hinged access door and a series of selectively removable shock-reducing mechanisms that serve to lessen the negative effects of loading and unloading and cargo shifting that may occur during transport. Additionally, by providing additional security mechanisms for securing the cargo stored and shipped in the container, losses due to theft can be minimized or eliminated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for shipping various types of goods and freight. In particular, the present disclosure relates to specialized containers and packing methodologies for transporting smaller shipments of goods by truck transport.

2. Background Art

The use of trucks and trailers to transport various goods “over the road” is well known to those skilled in the art. Typically, a person or company will hire a transport company to pack, load, and then ship or store the desired goods. The shipping industry is a vital part of the nation's economy and provides a much needed service for the country. As the economy moves towards a global position, the efficient and effective shipping of goods from place to place, both within and outside of the country's borders, becomes increasingly important. The consolidation of shipping operations and the emergence of international carriers are just some indications of the continuing trend towards lower costs and increased efficiency.

While many gains have been realized, one specific aspect of the shipping process that is still relatively costly and cumbersome is the transport of “less than a truck-load” or “less than a load” (LTL) shipments. LTL shipments are generally characterized by smaller shipments of goods, typically requested by a person or company that does not have ready access to their own fleet of trucks for shipping goods and/or that has a relatively infrequent demand for shipping goods by truck transport. By contracting with a LTL carrier, the owner of the smaller shipment can allow their cargo to be aggregated with a number of other LTL shipments for consolidated transport on a single truck, thereby reducing costs for each of the participants. While this process is commonly used in the industry, it is not without its drawbacks.

For example, in a typical LTL shipping scenario, each participant will usually be responsible for the preparation of their own shipment. This typically involves having the goods for the LTL shipment loaded onto a pallet or “palletized” at the point of origin. By palletizing the goods, it makes it easier to load the goods into the LTL carrier's truck for shipping. The LTL carrier will generally travel to the place of origin for the pallet and load the pallet or pallets onto the truck. Once the goods have been loaded at a particular location, the LTL carrier will then take the truck to other locations and repeat the process for other goods. Once all of the goods have been loaded, the LTL carrier can begin making the deliveries. This will involve traveling to the various destinations for the goods on the truck and unloading the goods at the appropriate destination or destinations.

While the use of LTL carriers is well known and well accepted, it is obvious that improvements to the process can be made. For example, one of the most common problems in the process is the exposure for the owner of the goods to having their goods damaged in transit. With larger single owner shipments, the goods are typically more carefully packaged and loaded because the goods will not be moved again until they are off-loaded at the destination. With LTL loads however, it is not uncommon for the goods to be moved several times during transit as other small shipments are loaded or unloaded from the truck, thereby increasing the likelihood of damage. This damage can occur when the goods are loaded on the truck, moved or rearranged during transit, and during the unloading of the goods at the destination. Additionally, the very act of transporting the goods on pallets instead of more secure containers increases the likelihood of damage to the goods.

Additionally, loss of the goods due to theft and spoilage during transit can also be a significant drawback for LTL shipments. Most smaller LTL shipments are not as secure because the smaller loads are in the goods are shipped on pallets and exposed to multiple pickup and drop-off locations, all of which provide additional opportunities for theft or damage. While most loss and/or damage can be compensated for by insurance, it is a serious problem for many small businesses that simply can't afford the loss of inventory and the time involved in obtaining and shipping replacement goods. Accordingly, unless additional improvements are made in the LTL shipping process, many small businesses will continue to be exposed to unnecessary losses due to damage and theft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein is a unique container and transport methodology for LTL trucking shipping operations. The shipping container includes a selectively repositionable, hinged access door and a series of selectively removable shock-reducing mechanisms that serve to lessen the negative effects of loading and unloading and cargo shifting that may occur during transport. Additionally, by providing additional security mechanisms for securing the cargo stored and shipped in the container, losses due to theft can be minimized or eliminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended wherein like designations denote like elements and:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an LTL shipping container in accordance with a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of an LTL shipping container in accordance with a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of an LTL shipping container in accordance with a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial cutaway top view of an LTL shipping container in accordance with a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a shock absorbing mechanism for a shipping container in accordance with a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a retractable door locking mechanism in the retracted position for a shipping container in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a retractable door locking mechanism in the extended position for a shipping container in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for a method of transporting cargo using a shipping container in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein is a unique container and transport methodology for LTL trucking shipping operations. The shipping container includes a selectively repositionable, hinged access door and a series of selectively removable shock-reducing mechanisms that serve to lessen the negative effects of loading and unloading and cargo shifting that may occur during transport. Additionally, by providing additional security mechanisms for securing the cargo stored and shipped in the container, losses due to theft can be minimized or eliminated.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a shipping container 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted. In the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, shipping container 100 is manufactured from a durable yet lightweight material such as reinforced aluminum or steel. As shown in FIG. 1, container 100 includes a selectively repositionable door comprising a plurality of hinged doorplates 110, 120, and 130 that are connected by one or more hinges 122. A series of selectively removable shock-absorbing mechanisms 114 are attached to the bottom of container 100 and provide for protection against impacts sustained during loading, transport, and unloading.

At least a portion of at least one door plate, in this case door plate 130, is secured in place by retaining elements 132 and 134. By sliding door plate 130 down and behind retaining elements 132 and 134, doorplate 130 and, by extension doorplates 110 and 120, can be secured in place relative to sidewalls 112. Once doorplates 110, 120, and 130 have been repositioned to close container 100, latch mechanism 116 may be used to securely lock container 100. In the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, latch mechanism 116 will be a hasp-like mechanism adapted to receive a padlock. Additionally, latch mechanism is adapted to receive other shipping security devices that are well known to those skilled in the art.

In the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, a retractable door locking mechanism 118 is used to lock doorplates 110, 120, and 130 into position. Retractable door locking mechanism 118 may preferably implemented as a series of connected and selectively extendable and retractable arms that engage at least a portion of sidewall 112 of container 100. Additional explanation regarding retractable door locking mechanism 118 is presented below in conjunction with FIG. 4, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a side view of container 100 of FIG. 1 shows doorplates 110, 120, and 130 repositioned in order to allow easy access to the interior of container 100. In this configuration, the hinges connecting doorplates 110, 120, and 130 allow for the placement of doorplates 110, 120, and 130 on top of container 100 of FIG. 1. Additionally, door latch mechanism 116 is used to secure doorplates 110, 120, and 130 in place on top of container 100 so that doorplates 110, 120, and 130 do not inadvertently move or close. Once doorplates 110, 120, and 130 have been repositioned, the desired cargo may be placed inside container 100.

Once container 100 has been loaded with the desired cargo, doorplates 110, 120, and 130 can then be repositioned to close container 100, thereby securing the cargo inside container 100. Additional features associated with one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention include one or more tie-downs or fastening handles 220. Fastening handle 220 may be configured in any way known to those skilled in the art to securely fix container 100 in place for shipping. This may be accomplished by fixing straps, cords, or the like through or into fastening handle 220. In the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, fastening handle 220 will be configured as a recessed handle located in side panel 112.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a plurality of shock absorbing mechanisms 114 have been selectively attached to the bottom of container 100 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, shock-absorbing mechanisms 114 have been positioned so as to facilitate the use of a forklift (not shown this FIG.). By positioning the shock absorbing mechanisms as shown in FIG. 3, the blades 310 of the forklift can be positioned so as to lift container 100 without contacting shock absorber mechanisms 114. Once positioned, blades 310 can be used to lift container 100 and place container 100 into a truck or onto a truck bed for transportation. Shock absorber mechanisms 114 are specifically designed to absorb and reduce the typical jolts and impacts that may be experience by container 100 and the contents of container 100 by providing a cushion for container 100. Additional description of shock absorbers 114 can be found in conjunction with FIG. 5.

Although described herein as selectively attachable and removable, those skilled in the art will recognize that shock-absorbing mechanisms 114 may also be permanently attached to the bottom of container 100, if desired. In an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, shock absorbers 114 are integral to the bottom of container 100 of FIG. 1 and manufactured into the bottom of container 100 of FIG. 1 at the time of manufacture. At least one preferred embodiment of the present invention may be deployed to incorporate a plurality of shock absorbing mechanisms 114 in this manner. Additional description of shock absorbers 114 can be found in conjunction with FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the use of retractable door locking mechanism 118 is further explained. As shown in FIG. 4, the arms of retractable door locking mechanism 118 can be extended laterally outward to engage receiving slots in the body of sidewalls 112. Once engaged, the arms of retractable door locking mechanism 118 serve to secure door panel 120 and, by extension, door panels 110 and 130 in place.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a shock absorbing mechanism 114 comprises: a threaded connector 540; an upper housing 510; an inner cushion 520; a lower housing 530; and a threaded connector 550. Taken together and as an assembled unit, each shock absorbing mechanism acts as a shock absorber for container 100 of FIG. 1 to provide a mechanism to dampen and reduce the impacts associated with the loading, transporting, and unloading of container 100 of FIG. 1, thereby protecting the contents of container 100 of FIG. 1.

Lower housing 530 is most preferably manufactured from a durable material such as steel or hardened aluminum. Additionally, lower housing 530 is most preferably hollow and cylindrical in shape and resembles a cup. The inner diameter of lower housing 530 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of inner cushion 520 and is sized to accept inner cushion 520 within the interior space of lower housing 530. Additionally, the outer diameter of lower housing 530 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of upper housing 510, thereby allowing upper housing 510 to slip over the exterior of lower housing 530, thereby completely enclosing inner cushion 520 inside the protective exterior formed by upper housing 510 and lower housing 530. This arrangement will allow for the protection of inner cushion 520 while allowing inner cushion 520 to absorb the jolts and impacts associated with loading, transporting, and unloading container 100 of FIG. 1.

Upper housing 510 is most preferably manufactured from a durable material such as steel or hardened aluminum. Additionally, upper housing 510 is most preferably hollow and cylindrical in shape and resembles an inverted cup. Similarly, the inner diameter of upper housing 510 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of lower housing 530, thereby enabling inner cushion 520 to be fully contained within upper housing 510 and lower housing 530 when shock-absorbing mechanism 114 is fully assembled and fastened to the bottom of container 100 of FIG. 1. In this fashion, inner cushion 520 can absorb the shocks of loading, transport and unloading associated with the shipment of container 100 of FIG. 1.

Inner cushion 520 is most preferably manufactured from a highly durable resilient material such as rubber that is suitable for absorbing the shocks associated with cargo transport. Threaded connector 540 is threaded through opening 511 and into opening 521 of upper housing 510 and penetrates partially into inner cushion 520. Similarly, threaded connector 550 is threaded through opening 531 of lower housing 530 and into opening 522 of inner cushion 520. In the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, threaded connectors 540 and 550 may be countersunk so as to present a smooth exterior surface.

Shock absorbing mechanism 114 is selectively attachable to container 100 of FIG. 1 by inserting threaded connector 540 through an opening in the floor of container 100 of FIG. 1. The hole in the floor of container 100 is threaded to match and receive the threads on threaded connector 540, thereby fastening shock absorbing mechanism 114 to container 100. In this fashion, shock-absorbing mechanism 114 can be attached or removed from container 114, depending on the application environment and the type of goods being shipped in container 114.

Referring now to FIG. 6, retractable door locking mechanism 118, with the arms in the retracted position, is depicted. As shown in FIG. 6, extension arms 610 and 630 are connected to intermediate arm 620 by connecting pins 625. Control bar 640 is used to reposition arms 610 and 630. With arms 610 and 630 in the retracted position, doorplates 110, 120, and 130 on container 100 of FIG. 1 can be freely moved to allow access to the interior of container 100 of FIG. 1. By rotating control bar 640, arms 610 and 630 can be extended or retracted and used to selectively secure doorplates 110, 120, and 130 of container 100 of FIG. 1 in place.

Referring now to FIG. 7, control bar 640 has been rotated and arms 610 and 630 have been extended to engage sidewalls 112 of container 100 of FIG. 1. Once engaged, doorplate 120 and, by extension doorplates 110 and 130 are fixed in position.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a flowchart for a method of 800 of transporting cargo using a shipping container in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. As shown in FIG. 8, in certain preferred embodiments of the preferred invention, it may be desirable to affix selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanisms to the bottom of a shipping container (step 810). As previously explained, in other preferred embodiments of the present invention the shock-absorbing mechanisms may be integrated into the bottom of the shipping container or the shipping container may be deployed without any shock-absorbing mechanisms.

Once properly configured, the shipping container may be delivered to the location where the cargo may be loaded (step 815). As shown in FIG. 8, this step may be repeated for a plurality of shipping containers. This allows for the preferred embodiment of the present invention where multiple independent shipments are consolidated for transport by a single carrier.

After delivery, the doorplates on the shipping container will be repositioned to allow access to the interior of the shipping container (step 820) thereby allowing the shipping container to be loaded with cargo (step 825). Once the shipping container has been loaded with cargo, the doorplates on the shipping container will be repositioned to close the shipping container (step 830) thereby allowing the shipping container to be secured (step 835). After being secured, the container can be loaded into or onto the truck (step 840) for shipping. As shown in FIG. 8, the process of loading shipping containers for transport can be performed repeatedly, depending on the number of shipping containers to be consolidated for a given shipment. Once all of the shipping containers have been loaded for delivery, the shipping containers can be delivered (step 845), the doorplates repositioned for access to the interior of the shipping container (step 850) and the shipping containers unloaded (step 855). As with the loading and pickup for the shipping containers, the delivery process will be repeated necessary for the number of shipping containers on or in the truck that need to be delivered.

Lastly, it should be appreciated that the illustrated embodiments are preferred exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description provides those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in the exemplary preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. 

1. A shipping container comprising: a top portion; a bottom portion; a front portion; a back portion; two sidewall portions; and at least one shock-absorbing mechanism, said at least one shock-absorbing mechanism being attached to said bottom portion.
 2. The shipping container of claim 1 wherein said at least one shock-absorbing mechanism comprises a plurality of selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanisms.
 3. The shipping container of claim 1 wherein said at least one shock-absorbing mechanism comprises nine selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanisms, each of said nine selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanisms being spaced equidistant from each other.
 4. The shipping container of claim 1 wherein said at least one shock-absorbing mechanism comprises: an upper housing; a lower housing; an inner cushion, said inner cushion being positioned inside said upper housing and said lower housing; a first threaded connector, said first threaded connector extending through said upper housing and at least partially into said inner cushion; and a second threaded connector, said first threaded connector extending through said lower housing and at least partially into said inner cushion.
 5. The shipping container of claim 1 wherein said selectively repositionable door further comprises a retractable door locking mechanism.
 6. The shipping container of claim 6 wherein said retractable door locking mechanism comprises a series of connected and selectively extendable and retractable arms that engage at least a portion of said sidewall.
 7. The shipping container of claim 1 where said front portion comprises a selectively repositionable door, said selectively repositionable door comprising: a plurality of hinged doorplates; and a plurality of hinges connecting said plurality of hinged doorplates to each other and to said shipping container.
 8. The shipping container of claim 7 further comprising a pair of retaining elements, said pair of retaining elements retaining at least a portion of at least one of said plurality of hinged doorplates.
 9. The shipping container of claim 1 further comprising a latch mechanism, said latch mechanism being configured to receive a lock.
 10. The shipping container of claim 1 wherein: said front portion comprises a selectively repositionable door, said selectively repositionable door comprising: a plurality of hinged doorplates; a plurality of hinges connecting said plurality of hinged doorplates to each other and to said shipping container; and a retractable door locking mechanism, said retractable door locking mechanism comprising a series of connected and selectively extendable and retractable arms that engage at least a portion of said sidewall; and said at least one shock-absorbing mechanism comprises nine selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanisms, each of said nine selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanisms being spaced equidistant from each other, each of said at least one shock-absorbing mechanism comprising: an upper housing; a lower housing; an inner cushion, said inner cushion being positioned inside said upper housing and said lower housing; a first threaded connector, said first threaded connector extending through said upper housing and at least partially into said inner cushion; and a second threaded connector, said first threaded connector extending through said lower housing and at least partially into said inner cushion.
 11. A method comprising the steps of: attaching at least one selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanism to a shipping container; loading said shipping container with goods for transport; and closing said shipping container by repositioning a selectively repositionable multi-panel door.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said at least one selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanism comprises nine selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanisms, each of said nine selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanisms being spaced equidistant from each other.
 13. The method of claim 11 wherein said at least one shock-absorbing mechanism comprises: an upper housing; a lower housing; an inner cushion, said inner cushion being positioned inside said upper housing and said lower housing; a first threaded connector, said first threaded connector extending through said upper housing and at least partially into said inner cushion; and a second threaded connector, said first threaded connector extending through said lower housing and at least partially into said inner cushion.
 14. The method of claim 11 wherein said shipping container comprises a pair of sidewalls and further comprising the step of engaging at least a portion of said sidewall with a retractable door locking mechanism, said retractable door locking mechanism comprising a series of connected and selectively extendable and retractable arms.
 15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of: loading said container onto a truck; and shipping said shipping container to a pre-determined destination.
 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of loading a plurality of containers onto said truck prior to shipping said container to a pre-determined location.
 17. The method of claim 11 wherein said selectively repositionable multi-panel door further comprises: a plurality of hinged doorplates; and a pair of retaining elements, said pair of retaining elements retaining at least one of said plurality of hinged doorplates.
 18. A method comprising the steps of: a) attaching a plurality of selectively attachable shock-absorbing mechanisms to a shipping container; b) opening said shipping container by repositioning a selectively repositionable multi-panel door; c) fixing said repositionable multi-panel door in a first position with a latch mechanism; d) loading said shipping container with goods for transport; e) closing said shipping container by repositioning said selectively repositionable multi-panel door; f) fixing said repositionable multi-panel door in a second position with a latch mechanism; g) loading said container onto a truck for shipping said shipping container to a pre-determined destination; and h) repeating steps a-g for a plurality of shipping containers. 